he
thought that the Red Indians would do all the killing.

'You needn't laugh; it's true!' he said solemnly.

'Oh, of course!' said Hilary; 'but don't come so near, or you'll upset
my glass of water.' Hilary, too, was hopeless; he was reduced to his
last cards now, and came in upon Mrs. Jolliffe as she sat at her
writing-table. She looked up with a sweet, vague smile.

'What is it now, dear boy?' she asked. 'I hope you are managing to amuse
yourself.'

'I think I ought to tell you,' he said thickly, 'that a tribe of
Bogallala Indians are going to storm our encampment this evening.'

Perhaps Mrs. Jolliffe was getting a little bored with military topics.
'Yes, yes,' she said absently, 'that will be very nice, I'm sure. Don't
be too late in coming in, there's good boys.'

'You don't _mind_ our being there?--there will be danger!' he said with
meaning.

'Mind? Not in the very least, so long as you are enjoying yourself,' she
said kindly.

There went one card: he had but one more. 'Could you let Corklett and
George' (they were the butler and page respectively) 'come down to the
camp about half-past eight? We should be so much safer if we had them
with us.'

'What are you thinking of, Clarence? We dine at eight, remember; how can
I send either of them down then? You really must be reasonable.'

Clarence was by no means an ill-mannered boy in general, but fear made
him insolent at this.

'Of course, if you think your dinner is more important than us!' he
burst out hotly.

'Clarence, I can't allow you to speak to me in that way. It is
ridiculous for you to expect me to alter my arrangements to suit your
convenience,' said Mrs. Jolliffe; 'leave the room, or I shall be really
angry with you. I don't wish to hear any more--go.'

He went with a swelling heart, and in the garden he met Cecily. If he
could only induce her to beg him not to risk his life again! He
disclosed the situation as impressively as he could; but, alas! Cecily
seemed perfectly tranquil.

'I'm not a bit afraid this time,' she said, 'because you beat them so
easily before; there's only one thing, Clarence. You know I daren't lock
the army in again--they've made it up; but they _were_ so cross over it!
So I want you to promise to look after them.'

'I shall have enough to do to look after myself, I expect,' he answered
roughly; 'you don't know what these Indians are.'

'Oh, but I do, Clarence; I saw them at the "Wild West." I thought they
lo